Episode 38 - Robert Maaser & Olivia Applegate

In this episode of PassionPod, Tosca Musk (Founder of Passionflix & Director of the 'Black Dagger Brotherhood') & Ali Whitaker (Head of Marketing & Publicity) are joined by cast members Robert Maaser (Wrath) and Olivia Applegate (Beth) to discuss their experiences working on season one. The conversation explores Robert & Olivia's initial reactions to the script, building on-screen chemistry and the extensive preparation required for their roles. The two delve into the challenges of portraying intimate scenes, the importance of casting, interactions with the stunt coordinator and the extensive makeup process. Tune in to hear anecdotes about set dynamics, their preparation strategies, and the personal connections formed during filming.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to PassionPod (from NYC)!
• 0:27 First Impressions of the Script
• 2:11 Understanding the Fan Base
• 3:53 Preparing for the Roles
• 5:27 Casting and Production Challenges
• 21:34 Building On-Screen Chemistry
• 22:59 Team Dynamics and Comfort on Set
• 23:15 Behind the Scenes of Filming Intimate Scenes
• 25:52 Chemistry and Trust Among Cast Members
• 27:39 Challenges of Filming Out of Order
• 28:14 Working with a Male-Dominated Cast
• 31:54 Transformations and Makeup Challenges
• 36:59 Acting with Limited Visual Cues
• 40:29 Rapid Fire Questions
• 43:29 Final Thoughts and Season Two Hopes

Transcript

Tosca: Hello, welcome to PassionPod. I am Tosca Musk. I am the CEO and Founder of Passionflix, and also the Director of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And I'm joined by Ali Whitaker and the wonderful Robert Maaser and Olivia Applegate from the Black Dagger Brotherhood. 

Ali: Welcome. Yay!

Robert: Thank you. 

Olivia: Yay. 

Ali: Okay, so what was your first reaction when you read the script and learned about Beth and Wrath?

Robert: Go ahead. 

Olivia: Oh, okay. I'll go first. Um, honestly, I was like, wow, this girl goes through a lot. Um, it's, it was, it's a really, really intense script and so that was exciting and daunting. Um, and the other thought that I had was, wow, I really hope I get along with the lead actor. Yeah. I was like, that'll be rough if we don't get along.

So I was, I was very relieved that it was Robert, that we got along really well. Um, and then it, it's really, it was really fun as an actor. 'cause you, you just get to do all the things. Beth goes through everything in a season. 

Tosca: So in a day, sometimes. 

Olivia: In a day. Sometimes, yeah. Her day one is pretty hardcore long. Yeah. Yeah. It's a long day one and day two. 

Tosca: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. And I remember when we were shooting, um, uh, how grateful you were to me sometimes, uh, coming up to me and saying, thank you, Tosca. I start off the day crying and then I, I'm happy. I'm like, yeah. 

Didn't you also have tonsillitis? 

Olivia: I had tonsillitis at the time as well, and a double ear infection.

Yeah. So. It was good. Came off well. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Radiant. Radiant. 

Tosca: The most radiant that ever existed. That ever existed. Mm-hmm. Don't you agree, Robert? Right? 

Robert: Yes. Um, I mean, I don't know. When I read the script for the first time, I thought, okay, interesting. And then I was reading it a second time just to, just to get a hold of the whole story and the universe, because I didn't know the books.

And then I decided, okay, I might wanna read the book just to get a little bit more information about everything, which I did. 

Ali: I know you didn't read the book at first, or you didn't know it at first, Olivia, did you know how big the fan base was?

Olivia: I, I had a, a sort of a sense because my best friend is a huge romance novel fan, and so I mentioned to her, she sort of clued me in a little bit to the, the scope of all of this.

Yeah. Um, but no, not really. Like I'm continuing to learn and understand. Every day more about the, the depth and breadth of the fan base. It's really cool. I hadn't read the book at the time. I was reading the script, but then I read the book pretty immediately and it was epic. 

Robert: I mean, I had no idea, like I, I never heard of the Black Dagg Brotherhood before.

I never heard of JR Which was good, I think. Mm-hmm. Because I just approached it differently instead of knowing everything and, and, and. Like how big the universe is and, and the fan base and whatnot. I just, I went in there and I had no clue. 

Tosca: Yeah, 

Robert: yeah. 

Tosca: And yet you portrayed the character so well. Wrath.

When you came on, I was like, oh my God. Nailed it. All of us watched your audition. We're like, yes. That is wrath. Mm-hmm. Yes, 

Ali: a hundred percent. Uh, how quickly did you learn how big the universe was when we announced the cast? I'm assuming when we announced you guys as Wrath and Beth. Oh yeah. How was that 

Olivia: started to, well, you were a little late to the party 'cause you don't really check social media very often.

Robert: True. 

Olivia: I don't really either. I, it's like a good, I don't know. I don't engage too much, but yeah, I feel like. Yeah, pretty soon after the announcement I was like, oh wow. Yeah, yeah. 

Robert: Like who are all those people texting me? I'm like, okay, okay. That's no pressure. Yeah. 

Ali: Yeah. And how did you prepare for these roles and then Tosca for you, 'cause it's also a favorite series of yours.

How did you prepare on your end to direct such beloved characters? 

Tosca: Well, for me, first, I stressed over it for about a year going, oh my God, oh my God. True. How am I going to do this? This has gotta be perfect. This is going to either be incredibly successful or it's gonna destroy me. And, um, and so that's how I started.

Um, and then a year later we were making it, but I was like, it'll be perfect. It will be perfect in every way. Um, and uh, I very fortunately had some fabulous actors that helped me. To make it perfect, but I, I, you know, so it was hard. So it started with the script, obviously going over that script over and over and over and over and over again until we had it as close to perfect as I think we could have gotten for the script.

I thought it was very tight. I think we learned a lot for season two because our scripts were the regular page length of one episode, and it turned out that, you know, I shoot long. Mm-hmm.

Now it's six episodes. It was gonna be five, now it's six. What, what 

Olivia: I tried to warn him too. I was like, no, no. Those scenes will be, they will long, they will linger scenes, which is good. So your prep was abject terror and then 

Tosca: Yeah, exactly. And then I'm just basically like, okay, I've green lit it now I don't have a choice.

I have to keep going. And I'm like, I jumped on the train and they're like, keep going. I can keep going. It's gonna be great. It's gonna be great. Um, and then, and then going through the casting. You know, and, and, and also giving myself the leeway to go, we will wait until we get the best cast. We will make sure we get the right people for this and not go, well, we're shooting on September 15th.

Mm-hmm. This is who we have to deal with. It'd be like, no, we're gonna find the right people. We search the whole world for them. We're gonna find the right people. And we did. And then of course it was visa situations, getting people into the country. But I'm really glad that, you know, the timing ended up working out just fine.

It was. It was, uh, it was great. And so it, it made it a lot easier for me. Um, 'cause once all that prep is done then and you bring in the right people to do it, then I basically, you know, just go action. And cut. Keep the train on the tracks, right. Action. Action. Cut. That's all I did. 

Olivia: That's all she did. Yeah. Right. Oh my God. No, but I think you're really onto something with the, the casting. I feel like. Um. I mean, I feel like everyone was so well cast in these roles that that helped so much with the prep because I feel like when we were all together, it was very easy to feel like you were really in the world.

And like everybody's essence worked so well for their parts. So when you get us all together or doing scenes with you, it it, the vibe was right. So you really just kind of had to catch the wave, you know? Yeah. And then just referencing the book over and over and over again, it was just pouring over the book, but.

Robert: I mean, yeah, the casting was great. Like I came in and I didn't know anyone. Yeah, right. Yes. And then you get to know all the brothers and it takes a bit of time until you get to know each other. But with every week, I thought. Yeah. I mean, he is Vishous and he's Zsadist, like they have a lot of traits in common with their characters.

Yeah, that's, I dunno if that's good or bad. I mean, I dunno, but, um, they do. 

Ali: Yeah. Yeah. And we did it differently this time too, because you guys had time to spend before we started shooting and, and Tosca you brought everyone in earlier and we haven't had the chance to do that on many other projects. So, uh, can you talk a little bit about that decision to bring everyone in earlier and, 

Tosca: yeah. Well I think Robert, you might, you might experience this a little bit more on some of the films where you have to come in much earlier and do a lot of prep and, and practicing. For fight scenes and, and things like that. But we don't do that on Passionflix because we don't have that luxury. We don't have that. It, it's expensive to bring everyone in. And so for this one, it was just so important for me that everybody get to know each other. And my goal, my, my dream for that week was really that I would be able to rehearse every single day, the entire series, 

Robert: which we didn't. 

Tosca: Which we did not do. That was because as soon as I brought you in, every single department was like, Ooh, we get them early.

Yeah. Like, we just wanna ha, we just wanna do all of our things with you. And so you were in. Stunts and hair. And just hair, all these things. And I was like, I got one read through. One read through. Um, but I, it was really important for me that I got you guys all together for a week, um, and close together. I wanted you guys to be as close together as possible proximity wise.

So we all lived relatively close together, um, so that you'd get to know each other because. You, you're gonna be, you have to immediately come onto set and have this relationship and care, um, have this feeling of a brotherhood. And um, and if you had never met it, I just wouldn't play. So I was really glad.

Olivia: No, it was great. No, I think it was genius. It was great. It helped so much and it was so nice. 'cause yeah, I feel like on our days off, we were all cooking dinner at each other's places and it, it was like family vibes. It really feels that way. Yeah. 

Tosca: Yeah. I love it. And it, and the thing that I, I'm. So happy about, and I have said this to a few people, but it's like the thing that just I, I cannot tell you how. Much joy. It brings me to see all of the brothers and all of you guys all hang out outside, hang out, 

Robert: hang out at the local gym, hang out at 

Tosca: the local gym, but hang out together. Like even after, after we shoot like all the, all the brothers who are in, um, in LA and they're having their holidays together.

Yeah. And birthdays together. And it's like, it's just so. Fantastic. 

Olivia: Isn't it? Just makes me so happy. And their girlfriends have a Shellan chat. No. Yes, they have like a text chain. Oh God, it's so cute. No, it's cute. It's really cute. Yeah. 

Tosca: But do you ever see Joel in Germany? 

Robert: Oh yeah, we, we met up. Really? Yeah.

I mean, we just found out that we actually live pretty close together. Same district, just a different street. Oh no. And we are friends in common, so yeah. 

Tosca: Oh my gosh. I love that. That's so awesome. You guys just don't post things on social media. 

Robert: No, no, no. Don't post serious. We like to at least have some secrets.

Tosca: Exactly. Wrath and Tohrment Right. 

Olivia: That's so cute. I love that so much. 

Tosca: Chris Brewster is our stunt coordinator and he found out that we were making the Black Dagger Brotherhood and he reached out to me via Instagram and I never look at Instagram comments, never. Sorry guys. I just don't do it. But for whatever reason.

He made a comment on something and I was like, who's this guy? And then I took a check. I, I checked out this, this message and, um, he, he just said, Hey, I'm, I understand that you're making the Black Dagger Brotherhood. I've worked on, um, a whole bunch of different shows, you know, very, very big shows in Atlanta.

Yeah, Atlanta. 

Robert: Yeah. He also did the daredevil. 

Tosca: You did Daredevil. Yeah. He's done like all of it. Yeah. Big shows. Mm-hmm. Uh, and he said, I, I really wanna work with you. And I was like, oh wow. That's really great, because like you're a really big stunt coordinator. You know, we're a tiny little company and I would never have thought that we could reach out to somebody at that level. 'Cause we just don't have that kind of money. Right. That's a very expensive stunt coordinator. Right. And he came back, he, he read the first draft. He's like, I'd love to meet you, talk to you about it. Love to be a part of this project. Anything I can do to help. Let me know. And he did. He just came out and, and was incredible. So supportive, very positive person. Um, and read the script. Read the books, and like really wanted to, um, bring, bring these, these fight scenes to justice. And then when I think when he met Robert, he's like, well, Robert knows what he's doing.

So how was it with you? So you worked, um, because the other, the other brothers hadn't done stunts. 

Robert: No, I don't think so. No. 

Olivia: But he didn't really have to do stunts in this one. 

Tosca: Exactly, 

Robert: yeah. But they were all looking forward to it. 

Tosca: How was it working with Chris, who's the stunt coordinator, and at the same time maybe helping, were you helping the brothers with some of their stunts or how did that work for you?

Robert: I never met Chris before, but we found out that we have a lot of friends in common in the industry and um, it was great. Like from the first day on I met him, I was like, okay. Yeah. He knows what he's doing and, and it's gonna be fun. And then all the other brothers, especially, I, I remember Sia for the, for the fight scene, he was, he was so excited and he wanted to train every day.

And I was like, okay. Yeah. Okay. And also Alex Yeah. In the, in the woods and everything. So they really wanted to do a good job and they've been working for that. And even in the gym where we're talking about, uh, stunts and how to do the fights and just. Teaching them little tricks and then they were open to all of that, which was, which was great.

And Chris and his team is, um, they're just amazing. 

Tosca: Yeah. Yeah. They really were. And thank you for, uh, for working with the brothers, you know, you know, as, as a good king does, you have to, you know, help.

Robert: You're welcome. 

Ali: What is your background with, because obviously you do stunts in a lot of the movies you're in, but what's, what's your background? How did you get into that? 

Robert: Listen, I started gymnastics and martial arts when I was three. I've done that on a professional level. And then I've been an acrobat on stage and then got into acting, and then afterwards I got into stunts.

I don't know, I, I'd say I've been not knowingly preparing myself for the last 30 years to be able to do what I'm doing. So, yeah. Wow. And, and now it's just, uh, for me, it's the most fun part that you can actually combine things from your past now in your acting career and just to be able to do your own stunts and to combine action with. Drama with acting is, is a dream come true? 

Tosca: Yeah. Your own stunts. Sometimes I can do this. I'm sure you can do this stunt very well, but you're not doing it. What if you hurt yourself? I wouldn't hurt myself, Tosca. It's like, but what if you do? I wondered myself. 

Robert: I'm always fighting to do my own stunts. Yeah. Oh, I mean, I get it. I, I mean, I get it that you can do all of them. There's always insurance and whatnot, but if I can, I'll always go for it. Yeah. 

Tosca: Yeah. And you did do quite a bit on ours. I, I don't think we used the doubles very much. We always had a double for all of you guys. And then I don't think we used them very much at all.

Robert: No, they, uh, I mean, he was, he was great. That was awesome. He was great. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Tosca: Yeah. Really great. All fabulous guys. 

Robert: And that, I always feel, you know, it's always, I feel bad for them if I come in and say, no, no, I'm gonna do it myself, because that's, you know, they're looking forward to do that. And I'm like, okay. Ah, it's, it's always, I don't know it, I feel bad. I'm doing their job, but I also just wanna do it myself because I, because it's the character, it's, it's, it's my character. And as long as I can do it, I would always do it. 

Tosca: Yeah. And also when you do the stunt, um, and you do it yourself, then we're able to film it in a very different way. We can film your face, we can film a lot more. When we are using stunt doubles, we have to hide Yeah. A little bit. 

Robert: It makes it easier. Yeah, 

Tosca: it does make it, it makes it easier. So, you know, just. We'll just shoot all the stunts at the end of the season next time. As opposed to like, first up. 

Robert: Yeah, it's not, it's not. It's not me. Next season, I mean, you have to talk to Alex. 

Ali: Some of my favorite, I loved some. I don't wanna give anything away 'cause we don't wanna give spoilers away, but I love. Some of your scenes in the barn, obviously, but then with Billy Riddle and then even you, with your scenes with Billy Riddle.

'cause I know we've talked about RJ, but he's so sweet. Yeah, he is the sweet, adorable. And he just gets knocked around a lot in this by Butch also. Um, yeah. Can you talk a little bit about, he's so sweet, and I wanna say like, what was, 

Robert: what was this line? Wake up. Wake up bitch up bitch. Wake up bitch. It was kind of like his first line. I was like, okay, 

Olivia: so. Yeah. No, and it, it is funny 'cause he is, he's so sweet as a person in real life. And then I was watching the first episode and I'm like, oh my God. Like, go RJ you creepy. Yeah. Mean yeah. Mean and yeah. Weird. Yeah. 

Tosca: And then as soon as you call cut, he's like, 

Olivia: yeah. Yeah. He was so, he was so excited to be there and he was so sweet.

And obviously like he and I were shooting really sensitive material and he was very like exceedingly respectful. He was like, am I? He was always like, I don't wanna do anything wrong. Um, which was very sweet. I really appreciated it. Um, yeah, and we, and just looping back to Chris, Chris helped stunt coordinate all of the scene that I had with RJ and that was so great too.

Like they were just both, um, so professional and we had an intimacy coordinator there, so I just loved how all of that was handled because it is such sensitive material and like it's an intense scene and so everybody got to feel prepared and safe and all that stuff. So it was really. It was really good.

Tosca: Yeah, that was great. It's really great that you felt that, that you felt that, that you were taken care of, that you had this time coordinator and the intimacy coordinator. Yeah. And that RJ was being respectful and, you know. Yeah. So, um, and, and you know, I remember seeing the previs of that, um, of that scene. 'Cause you guys filmed it, right? The rehearsal, and then sent it to me. Mm-hmm. And I was like, oh, Jesus, that's. It's gonna work. Yeah. Yeah. So creepy. Yeah. Mm-hmm. 

Ali: How is it for you, Tosca, to just come, because this is obviously different than what we typically have on Passionflix and what you've directed, but how is it for you bringing some of these scenes to life?

Tosca: It was so much fun. I loved it. This is like. Fully, like I love, obviously I love romance and I can, you know, I love nice long conversations and beautiful, sexy sex scenes and all those things. 

Robert: Oh my God. 

Tosca: We can talk about a long conversation, long conversation, 20 minutes like the dinner scene or hanging out in bed, just chit chatting, eye contact, sharing emotions, looking at each other.

So all that stuff I love, he couldn't look at it when has dark glasses are I know. But, um, in dark rooms. But I loved it. It was so much fun and 'cause I had all these visions in my head after reading the books, like how I wanted the, the stunts to play out and um, and where they would be and, and all that sort of stuff. And so I would have the. Those conversations with Chris beforehand. And I'd like, 'cause he would come up with an idea and he goes, okay, and it's gonna be like this. And I was like, oh no, I, I need her to be over here. He's gonna be over here. This is how it's gonna happen. And, and he'd be like, okay, fantastic.

And then he'd rotate the world and then show some of these maneuvers and he goes, okay. And then he's gonna punch him in the gut and he's gonna fly up in the air. And I was like, this is. I was like, so fun. So much fun. Um, I loved it. And, and you know, when we have, uh, you and Alex, um, out in the woods, Wrath You know, throwing a lesser to a tree and, and you know, the whole rigging and the, it took forever. By the way, stunts take forever, so, you know, I understand why they do second units or stunt units, right?

Because all these wires 

Robert: and also just to, to try it and to make it safe. Yeah. And all those measures. Yeah. Yeah. 

Tosca: Obviously it has to be done that way and, um, but I mean, the end result is, is fantastic. But now I know that it takes a long time to set up stunt stuff. 

Robert: I, I remember one of the first nights when we had that car explosion.

Tosca: Oh yes. That was so much fun. 

Robert: Yeah. Because I was sitting on a chair just watching the screen and the car explodes. I mean, for me, I've seen a lot of cars explode. Right. And it just explodes and you go like, oh my God, this is, yes. So, um. Yeah. She, she loved it, 

Olivia: it was so cute. I think I have video 'cause I was there too. Like she, she 

Robert: said something like, this is the coolest shit I've ever seen. Yeah. 

Olivia: You're like, I think this is the best explosion I've ever seen. I have this like on I'm gonna find it, we'll find it. 

Ali: Your parents were there 

Olivia: and my parents were there for that night. My parents visited set that night and they thought it was. So cool. They were like, this is your job. I'm like, tonight it is. It's not. I don't normally blow up. I am different demo demographics, like yeah. 

Tosca: That was so cool. It was really cool. That was, that was very cool. But also, you know, at that same time we were shooting with the robotic arm. Oh yeah. Um, and thank you so much.

You, you were so patient while we set up this robotic arm, which is another thing that takes six hours, Evan, of course, to do one shot at minimum as they set it up. Robert would just stand there in front of the camera as the camera was like calibrating and figuring out where it's gonna go. And then it would move and, and you set up for that one shot.

One shot that goes and that's it. And it goes really fast, which took many, many hours. Mm-hmm. But that was really fun. Working with a robotic arm. We did it again at the barn. Yeah. You'd worked with robotic arms before? No. Oh, you had to. 

Robert: No, that was, no, that was the first time. 

Tosca: Oh yeah. That was cool. It was so much fun. And I love how it ended up, it was very much, 

Robert: you should, you should plan like a week for, so like for season two? Yeah. With a robotic arm. 

Tosca: Yeah, exactly. One week dedicated robotic arm. One week, two weeks. Stunts. 

Robert: Second unit. Yeah. Yeah. 

Tosca: Second unit stunts. And then I can spend the rest of the time. Now we're talking. Now we're talking. Now we're making love. Yay.

Ali: Um, you guys have great onscreen chemistry obviously. How do you work together to build that trust? 

Olivia: The first time we were really acting together actually was kind of barn sequence. Mm-hmm. Right? Yes. In, in the shooting schedule. And so I remember we were like out, and I invited you to my trailer and I was like, Hey, can we like chat?

I'm about to like, you know, have this very intense scene with you and I haven't really met you yet. Can we? Like, can we eat lunch together or something, you know? Um, and so we were chatting and then I was asking if you'd ever done a project that had this much intimacy in it, and you were like, yes, but no.

And I was like, okay, well, I think it's just really important that we both feel really comfortable with each other and that, um, we both understand that nobody's ever trying to cross a line and that there's like a lot of trust and a lot of sense of safety. Like I know that's important for me. Yeah. Um, let's.

Make sure that we feel really comfortable so we can really go for it. Because the, I really think that this, for this audience, like, you know, the show lives and dies on our chemistry in many ways. Yeah. You know? Yeah. And so I was like, we need to feel comfortable with each other so that we can really deliver on that and feel like comfortable doing that.

Robert: Yeah. So I think it was, it was actually. Smart to have that conversation.

Olivia: It's not my first rodeo, baby 

Ali: Tosca knows what she's doing there. 

Olivia: Yeah. Olivia. Yeah. Yeah. But right. 'cause it, I think it just like set the tone. Um, and then we were able to just be really open and communicative. It was just a really team worky dynamic. So I felt really comfortable. Um, as comfortable as you can. It's a lot. Yeah. I mean, it's a lot like, 

Robert: you know. Kind of scenes. I mean, I am, uh, it's really great if people watch it and they go, wow, that's romantic, that's hot, whatever. Because they should be on set watching us actually shooting it. The mic, just like this? Yeah. And the camera here. And then you're here at Tosca. Do that again. Yeah. And then there's like, go up again.

Put your, put your, put your hand right there. Yeah. Yes. Do it again. And then like now a bit, a bit more. Slowly squeeze his arm. I'm like, okay. Okay. Like four, just concentrate. 

Olivia: Triceps. Triceps. Triceps. Okay. 

Tosca: No, I'm surprised I didn't say. And then hair, hair, hair. No. 

Olivia: The hair acting, the amount of like grabbing his hair. The amount of times I was just like draw. Um, yeah. And then there's always like a guy in cargo shorts with like a bounce board right there, like in your like peripheral. And you're like, we are alone. It's sexy. Like, 

Robert: yeah. 

Olivia: Yeah. But how was it yet? It's, 

Robert: it's, it's not, but it's, uh, it's, I mean. 

Olivia: You find a way to connect still. Yeah. Yeah. 

Robert: And as long as you're a team, it makes it so much more bearable. 

Tosca: Mm-hmm. 

Robert: Because those scenes are. Difficult for actors. 

Tosca: Yeah, I can imagine. They are, they're, they're difficult for me as well. Mm. You know, it's, it, there, there are certain things that we, but even now when I watch it and the fact that you, I think you told me last night, uh, you said the scene is eight minutes.

Yeah. At, and I was, it might be nine. I'm like, what? It really is because ev I've watched this show many, many times and every time I watch it, I. Still think about all the, the steps that are involved that have to happen in that scene. It's like, all right, kiss. So every time I'm watching it, I'm like, no, we haven't gotten to this section of what happens right at this moment.

And so to me, it's all broken down into those tiny little, uh, beats that need to be completed in order for us to get to the final moments. And yeah. And so I, so I never thought it was long because I'm so busy. Thinking about each step. 

Olivia: And I, I really like that about, um, the way you guys approach these scenes. Like one, it's, it's really choreographed, like we did like it blocking 

Robert: it is the choreography. Yeah, 

Olivia: yeah, yeah. So there, there's that. But also, um, I really, really like that you're very intentional about the storytelling that's happening. Like it's not. Like a sex scene for the sake of a sex scene. Like there, there's like narrative beats that we're making sure to accomplish and like, um, relationship dynamics that we're making sure we frame up and like things like that. So it, it, it's intense and it's a lot and it's a lot of choreography, but it. Also still manages to feel like storytelling, which 

Tosca: yeah, 

Olivia: I really appreciate. Great. Yeah. 

Tosca: Oh good. Mm-hmm. And I remember you speaking to me about that, um, about the chemistry and the intimacy as well, um, and how you'd spoken to Robert Yeah.

And said, you know, I'm not gonna cross the line. We are gonna, we need to trust each other. And I was like, and that's really good because, um, one of the things that you are is you are very touchy feeling. 

Olivia: Yeah, I'm very, I've warned him about, I'm like, I'm a really affectionate person. If it ever makes you uncomfortable, like please let me know. Yeah. This is not my intention. 

Tosca: But you also make a big effort. 

Robert: Yeah. Well, I'm not, 

Tosca: neither is Wrath. Um. But 

Olivia: But he is now!. No. I don't know. I think you're actually a very affectionate person. It's, he's just this so fun. I'm not, I'm not, 

Robert: I'm not, yeah. I'm not, I'm just not a touchy person. 

Olivia: Yeah. He gives a lot of hugs. He does actually give a lot of hugs every single day. He's a hugger. 

Tosca: Yeah. But I think that it, in order to create the kind of intimacy and the, the kind, uh, the, the kind of chemistry we actually have to get into each other's space. 

Olivia: That. I mean, honestly, that, I really do think that's part of it. 'cause you just have to be comfortable. Yeah. Um, you just do. And so I feel like it's so nice to have a conversation that like we're clear, like everybody's intentions are good. Nobody's 

Tosca: Yeah. 

Olivia: Trying to be weird or anything. It's just, yeah. I think it's so necessary for the show to work, for us to have chemistry. So it's like, I'm gonna force, I'm gonna just make it happen.

Robert: Yeah. I don't know. Was that That was in Darius's house? 

Olivia: Which part? 

Robert: The first time. The first time we had to kiss. 

Tosca: Oh yes. Oh yeah. She comes up 

Robert: and, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, and we did that and, and Tosca just came to me. That was great. That was great. Can you just do it a bit more passionately? 

Tosca: We were like, I was like, I was like, you kids are like, you mean it. Yeah. 

Olivia: Yeah. That was the funny thing about shooting show. So out of order, we were like, wait, where are we in the. Yeah, the arc of this relationship, it was a lot to track, honestly. 

Tosca: It was a lot. I hear you man. It was a lot to track also, like the poor editors who are there, they are like, I need you to get episode one ready.

And they're like, okay, I have all the footage for episode six. I'm like, okay, yeah, it's coming in 45 days. Mm-hmm. So basically episode one was like, okay, and blank. Caldwell and then ble, right? It was just like, 

Ali: Hey, Olivia, how was it for you coming onto a set of so many men? 

Robert: It was great. It was a dream come true. It was so different. 

Olivia: It was a dream come true. Um, yeah, it was real. Dude, heavy y'all. It was real male leading male energy. Um. Uh, it was really fun. I will say we would like get together and like all have dinner together. And I don't think there was a single time where like the Roman Empire wasn't mentioned. Um, there was a lot of talk about like cars and finance. Like I was just like, oh, this is, this is new and different for me. I've also never felt so tiny in my whole life, like, because you're just, when you're like the one person sub six two in a room, you're just like, I am like. Just really small, like, anyway, it was just, yeah, it was a lot of masculine energy most of the time.

It was fun, but 

Robert: good masculine energy. 

Olivia: I, maybe I even said this to you, Tosca. So I was like, this is a lot of lead male actors and that can be intense and a lot. Um, but I, I was so pleasantly surprised with everyone, um, because they're sweethearts and they're supportive and they're hardworking and they're excited to be there and they really wanna do a good job.

So everybody was like pulling their weight. And again, I was so grateful that it was you. I feel like we worked really well together. And um, and I was so grateful because I was, I was worried. I was like, if this is, like, if the casting's not right or if these guys are real high maintenance, this is, I'm gonna be tired. I'm gonna be a real tired girl. 

Robert: Yeah. 

Olivia: Mm-hmm. Yeah. 

Robert: This could have been a nightmare. 

Tosca: It could have been a nightmare. It could have been, it could have been a nightmare. And so I'm really glad that it's not. But I mean, I had a lot of conversations with all of you guys before coming out, and I think generally speaking, when I am able to have.

Calls with the actors or, or get to know them beforehand. Um, and I don't get that, um, douche bag vibe from them. Right, right. Or from women as well. Mm-hmm. Then, um, and, and they, they have an excitement for the show and excitement for doing this and excitement for their character. Then I kind of feel like if I get along with them, then maybe everybody else will as well. So it's a little bit easier. 

Olivia: But I think your instincts were so good on this one. I feel like the casting is just. Really spot on. Like, not to toot our own horn, but I really do think the casting is really, it's really great. It went such a long way. Yeah. For the chemistry and all of it. 

Tosca: Yeah. How was it working with Michael Roark again?

Olivia: Oh my God. So fun! 

Tosca: In a very different platonic way, 

Olivia: honestly. Oh, my heart. We were, we were catching up on the phone the other day and he was like, Hey, so do you remember that scene where Butch and Beth are in the car? Mm-hmm. And Butch says something really sweet, um, to Beth. He says something like, you're. You're fantastic or something like that. And he was like, he was like, that was, that was Michael telling and Olivia, I was like, buddy, so cute. You'll see it in the episode. He's like, I meant it. And anyway, it's just, it's fun to get to work with somebody that you've like really been in the trenches with before and have like years of history with and to get to do like a sweet scene together like that. It felt very full circle and, and just lovely. 

Ali: Yeah. 

Olivia: Yeah. It was good. 

Ali: He is. Oh, Michael Butch. I think one of the first days on set, he's like, could you imagine me walking around his wrath in that wig? And I'm like, no. No. Absolutely not at all. 

Olivia: No. It's really funny to think about though. No. Or you as Butch. That's funny too. You were the Boston. Can you do a boston accent? 

Robert: Nope. 

Tosca: Nope. This was definitely a show about hair. So much hair. Mm. 

Robert: That wig... 

Tosca: it's waiting for you. 

Ali: Yeah. How long did that take to put on? Every day. 

Robert: Longer in the beginning, and then later on it, it, it got better, um, but still like 45 minutes to an to an hour every day.

Olivia: So yeah, it was the hair, just the wig. Yeah. And then you also had the tattoos and the scars. So, yeah, like, what was it total? 

Robert: Yeah. I was, I was always looking forward to those, um, topless scenes. Yeah. We need the scar and we need the tattoos and we need the scar on the back. Oh my gosh. And the wig and everything. Okay. Yeah. Three hours later. Yeah. At least. Yeah. Yeah. 

Tosca: At least each one of those, um, like those, those prosthetics that we had to put on the one that was over here got down to be pretty quick. Mm-hmm. Um, but, but it has to be blended with the skin and it's a whole thing. Um, but when you have all the guys have to do that, 'cause of course I had to have one shot with all of the boys without their shirts off. They have such beautiful abs. You're welcome. 

Olivia: I know. Wait, I showed, I showed my agent, my manager, um, the, the gym pick of all of you guys. Oh my God. And they were like, Tosca's doing God's work.

Ali: God's work with the tiny, tiny boys. 

Olivia: The tiny little boys. So scrawny. 

Tosca: Oh my God, that was hilarious. So we had wigs and we have tattoos and we have, uh, prosthetics and tattoos and contacts. Contacts and, and so every, and teeth, every single thing was a, a thing that, that so many of you had to go through. I think JR Ward wrote that vampires are hairless. So you have to shave. Except for, except for like eyebrows, but basically every, and except for Sia, Sia's, goatee. 'cause uh, vicious has a goatee, but otherwise. Hairless, hairless on the arms, the legs, whole body. So you guys had to like full body shave. Thank you for doing that. And wigs and contacts and prosthetics and, and I would just be sitting there at Video Village. Video Village going, you know, where is everybody? What are we doing? Why am I here? Why am I here? I'm just here waiting for people to get ready. Love. 

Robert: And it was us in the makeup trailer. Can you shave my back? Do they see my legs? I don't know. Yeah. 

Olivia: That was in the details path. Indigo our hair and makeup girl. Wow. She got to know y'all. She's like, I am dealing with so much male body hair. She's like, whoa. Like the amount of grooming, like it was a lot. Yeah. 

Robert: She seemed happy. Yeah. 

Olivia: Yeah. No complaints, right? So funny. 

Robert: Yeah. The one with. Pretty much nothing. Was Joel. Joel. Joel, yeah. Tohrment. Yeah. Mm-hmm. He was always the latest coming in. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Like the 10 minute prep and then he's done. Yeah. Yeah. It's just like, I was so jealous. Contact powder. Yeah. I mean, I'm here for two hours and he just comes in. Okay. Contacts. Okay, great.

Let's go. 

Tosca: And initially he wasn't even gonna wear contacts 'cause his eyes are blue and then he saw all of you guys with your contact lenses. 

Robert: Then, can I please have contacts? 

Tosca: Yeah. Can I please have them? I was like, yes you can. Let's get him some contacts. All of the vampires with their eyes just, just made them look a little bit more, more than human.

Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Although sometimes to me it just really, it, it kind of blows me away that no one would be concerned about Mr. X. Right, right. Creepy. Because he has like white eyes. 

Olivia: He's so creepy. Creepy, so creepy. Creepy. Maybe I just assume he's albino. I don't know. Yeah. 

Tosca: I don't know. But he, he's so creepy.

Yeah. Yeah. Such a pleasure to work with. But same thing, like he came in and he, he was, another person was just like, da, da, da. This is me. Yeah. And then we dye his hair, change his skin color contacts in, and he's like, da. And like, scary, terrifying. You're like, oh my God, that transformation was insane. 

Olivia: He's so creepy. Yeah. 

Tosca: Yeah. But it was kind of fun. I enjoyed, um, you know, finding actors that were that willing to, to do those kinds of massive look changes. Right. Um, and, and sort of excited about it. I mean, your cha, your look. Changed so dramatically. 

Robert: Do you think so? Like, yeah. Yeah. I feel you've gone through It was, it was, it was good in terms of just getting into character.

Tosca: Yeah. 

Robert: Mm-hmm. Because it was so much. Mm-hmm. Like it was hard not to get in character, you know, the boots, the leathers. 

Tosca: Mm-hmm. 

Robert: The hair, the fangs, the weapons. Mm. The contacts like. 

Tosca: Yeah. It, 

Robert: it wasn't me at all. 

Tosca: Yeah. 

Robert: Like, and that was great, a great opportunity as an actor to actually get into such a character.

Tosca: So we touched on this a little bit before, but you, 'cause you have wrath, was these wraparound dark glasses, uh, almost the entire show. And, um, so. But as an actor, so much of your storytelling and your communication comes from your eyes and that's what people dunno. It's like, so we speak a lot through our eyes and so when you can't see the eyes, you had to come up with other ways of communicating. So like, what was that like 

Robert: kind of hard in the beginning because I was seeing. The other actor's eyes. Yeah. They could just not see mine. And then you just have to find ways, like small things in terms of nonverbal communication, like body language, just small things. Um, but in the end, I really enjoyed having the glasses on to be honest... 

Olivia: this cheeky guy... 

Robert: it was sometimes it was really helpful, you know, because you don't have to. Um, be spot on all the time because in some scenes when the brothers were talking or whatever, I'm supposed to be blind and I'm in the room, so I was just closing my eyes listening to what they were saying and I was like, yeah, I mean, that's what it would be like to be blind. Right? So I just. I was there, my eyes closed and just saying my lines, which is a great experience. I gotta say, I, I hated it in the beginning, and then I got to love them. 

Olivia: Yeah. Yeah. We would shoot scenes and I was like, are your eyes open or closed right now? I'm like, where are you? Are you napping? Like, what's happening? I was like, where are you? 

Robert: I mean, it's, it's, it's also hard for the other actors because they are just basically staring at themselves.

Olivia: Yes. I would imagine. I was just looking at my reflection. I'm like, I'm falling in love with. Sunglasses. I was like, no, but it, it, it all worked out. But yeah, that was like, um, I know, I don't know, I think I underestimated like how much you were in sunglasses at first for the shoot. Like I didn't really put together just how much of the show you were properly. Like sunglass'd up. 

Robert: Yeah, it's most of it you got, yeah. I mean, you gotta talk to JR about it. Yeah. 

Tosca: I actually had a conversation with her about this because we would talk about wrath and we'd talk about the scribe Virgin. And in the book, if you like, you know, wrath looks over and he scrunches his eyes and I'm like, okay, great.

So he looks over and he scrunch eyes, but we are not looking at his eyes. So what does he really do right? Like he's, we can't see it. Yeah. So what's he doing? So it, it would, and, and the same with the scribe Virgin, because we would say, um, uh, in the book it would say, scribe Virgin Smirks. And I'm like, fantastic. We cannot see her face. Like we cannot see her face at all. Right? It's a glowing light, so we cannot see her face. You cannot see her face, but she smirks. So I have to work with the actor to smirk with their voice or with the music or Wrath's reaction to what she's saying, or a Darius's reaction to what she's saying.

So it's like the co-star has to be the one that's basically performing. To what that that character that you can't see is doing, if that even makes sense. Mm-hmm. Like we have to stay on them so that you can react the reaction, sell the reaction, sell what that smirk would be. Um, and that was interesting and hard, but worked out I think really well.

Ali: Okay. Okay. We're play. 

Olivia: What is about to happen? Oh God. 

Ali: Rapid Fire. Fire. Rapid fire question. Mm-hmm. Fight scene or love scene. 

Robert: Fight scene. 

Olivia: I don't do fight scenes Love scene. Wait, like stunt fighting or like 

Ali: any, whatever you think you yell at him. Right. That way that that'd be good. Okay. I like that you did like, like a yelling fight scene You slap.

Olivia: I did slap you. That good? That was good. Yeah. 

Ali: Early call time or night shoot. 

Olivia: Early call time, 

Robert: night shoot. 

Ali: Ooh, really? 

Olivia: He's the actual vampire. 

Ali: Most likely to survive a vampire apocalypse. You. We are your CoStar. 

Olivia: Yeah, he's the vampire king. 

Ali: I think you do well. 

Olivia: Yeah, I think so. I, I mean, I would probably be strategic, but I wouldn't be like, I wouldn't be fighting my way through the vampire apocalypse. I'd be like, I don't know. 

Robert: It would be my job to protect you anyway. So there. 

Olivia: Okay, great. Oh, then maybe my odds are better. I agree. 

Ali: Uh, funniest person on the cast. 

Robert: Hmm.

Olivia: That's kind of our, everybody has their different sense of humor. Like Andrew is obviously like ridiculous and he's funny. Sia is like surprisingly funny. Like you, you don't see it coming. He's so dry and so like sardonic. It's so funny. 

Ali: And the last one, one word you'd use to describe each other.

Olivia: Well, first one that came to mind for me is stoic, but it doesn't capture the whole picture. It's like if it could be a phrase, it'd be 'Still Waters Run Deep'.. That's what it would be. 

Robert: I'm gonna go with tough, actually. 

Ali: Oh, that's right. Yeah. Now wrap it on Tosca. One word to describe Tosca. No pressure. Mm.

Robert: Passionate, right? 

Olivia: Mm-hmm. Yes. 

Robert: In everything you do. Yeah. Yeah. Unsaid as a director, as the captain of the ship. Passionate. Yeah. 

Olivia: Yeah. I think leader is what comes to mind. Oh, that's nice. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah, because you just do such a good job, helming, like you're paying attention to every detail. You're having to manage so many people and so many personalities. Especially in a cast as big as this, 

Tosca: that is very hard actually working with a bunch of, um, actors who are all leads. Mm-hmm. Like everybody's a lead. All of these men are. Are significant and are going to hold and carry an entire season. So it should be easier for you guys in the coming seasons 'cause there's less pressure 

Robert: and also all of them having their own ideas. Yes. I, I love coming up to you. Love their own ideas. I would love to do this. I would love to go there. I feel like my character would do this. I'm like, okay, just go for it. 

Tosca: You sent them to me. I was like, uh, that's nice. Try but no try. You will do this. No. 

Robert: Yeah, and also like apart from the brothers, it's been a great cast. Really? 

Tosca: Yeah. I enjoy everybody. Season two's gonna be fun. 

Robert: I am looking forward to it easy. We looking forward to it. Easy, easy for us. Yeah, 

Tosca: don't forget to tune in every Thursday to a new PassionPod that is a companion episode to the episode that releases that day. So if you are watching or if you're listening to PassionPod right now, um, and you haven't watched the episode today, go watch the episode 'cause you are gonna get a lot of spoilers.